As was expected following the BCCI's belligerent threats to withdraw from the one-day series if Harbhajan was not cleared of racism charges, the racism charge was downgraded to a Level 2 offence ("Using language that is obscene, offensive or of a seriously insulting nature to another Player") during the appeal hearing by Justice John Hansen today.

Will the BCCI re-open the charges against Brad Hogg? After all, the original case was that he should also be charged for a racist abuse. Subsequently, the charges were dropped. Can the word 'bastard' be considered to be obscene, offensive or seriously insulting? Of course yes!

Since there is no evidence that Harbhajan did actually call Symonds a monkey (the transcripts from the stump microphones only had Symonds saying 'You just called me a monkey' or 'What monkey, big monkey, you don't know what you've said.'), is it fair to assume that Harbhajan can file a defamation suit against Symonds, Clarke, Ponting & Hayden? They insinuated that Harbhajan made a racist comment, and he was therefore seen as a racist by a lot of cricket followers, thereby resulting in extreme mental anguish for over three weeks?

Is the ICC going to do anything about Mike Procter now? He has botched up twice in the span of a little more than a year, the previous instance being at the Oval in August 2006 where he didn't do anything to prevent Pakistan from walking off.

Wake up and smell the coffee Ganesh. You have a team that includes 2 liars (Tendulkar and Harbajan), a dirty spitter (Karthik), a captain who is too self righteous, and throw in a couple of cheats as well as a board that puts its own agenda over and above the interests of the game. If it wasn't for money winning over morals we would be able to kick the Indians out of the ICC member playing nations for the damage they have done to the game.

Have a look at the rap sheets in terms of player fines and suspensions, and India lead by far (in fact its the only part of the game that India are clear leaders in...). Neutral umpires were introduced because of India, where opposition teams found out quick enough that the only way to get an LBW verdict was to wear an Indian shirt. Indian cricket is riddled with corruption and people who are just after power without responsibility, and the game has continued on a rapid downslide due largely to Indian intervention.

World cricket is worse off with India in it, but thats what happens when you let 3rd world countries get too involved, and the ICC is to blame for that.

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